She is known for her mode of dressing which she said is her own style of life. In this interview with Top Celebrities Magazine, this Nollywood star said she is coming out with her latest blockbuster film which will be rated among the best in the country. She also talked on why she doesn’t want to associate herself with some players in the industry.

What is the latest about you?

For sometime now, I’ve been doing other businesses, I’ve not really been in the movie because I’ve not seen what I want to do, not that people have not been hearing from me, they do. But I’m working towards a very big project.

There are many private producers in the Nollywood now, are you planning something of such?

Mind you, I was part of the production of the first three movies that brought me into the industry. At the moment, I’m not thinking about that but I don’t know what the future holds, it wasn’t a good experience for me then, I don’t know if things have changed now.

Since you are not active in movie, what other things do you have your hands on now?

I do boutique, which you can see one of them, and I do interior designer as well. So whenever I’m in Nigeria, I get busy.

Which movie shot you into the limelight?

It was my very first movie “Stolen bible”. I was part of the production and it was marketed by IKOMAS who was the main producer and directed by Emeka Nwanbueze.

How many movies do you have to your record now?

I cannot say because they are very many, they are over 20. I’m not the type that does many movies in a month, I do quality movies. I want the movies I appear in to be known, my target is to do a cinema movie and that is on now.

How and when did you start movie?

I’ve had interest in movie since when Nollywood started, that should be about 20 years ago. I have passion for acting. I wasn’t opportune because I was having my babies then, so I wasn’t steady. I started fully after I had my children and that was 2004. It’s not easy raising children and acting, I appreciate those women that are raising children and still active in the movie. It’s not easy, I can’t handle it. Besides, you have to put your hands on something. I like something creative, that’s why I do interior. If you look at fashion, interior and movie, you will see that they have one thing in common. I love doing all these things. If you enjoy your work, you will want to do it. I don’t think I can go and sit in the office and work. That’s why I left UK because I was not working over there.

How will you describe the road so far in terms of challenges?

The few I’ve done are a bit challenging but I’m still looking forward for more challenging stuffs, at least to help me in growing. Like my first movie, I was part and parcel of the production, so nobody intimidated me, so it was easy for me and one of the movies brought me into the limelight because it was three movies we shot at the same time.

How will you describe the industry now?

Then was better, it was like a learning process but this time it’s just whatever they can take. Some years ago, if you are not good, you cannot do it. Besides, there are few people, so they have enough time to nurture and train you, when you are acting, you have people who will guide you, unlike now that we have too many people and there is no time for that. Everybody is now interested in the business, it might be difficult for them to choose who to pick, I think then was better, because there wasn’t much struggle like now that, everybody is looking for the same thing.

Is that the reason you stepped aside?

No, like I said before, I want to do something mature. I want to follow other people as they grow; I want to do cinema movies now.

Who are your contemporaries in the industry?

I don’t think I can remember any of them now because I don’t stay in the country, all I know is myself. But I have people who were there before me that have done a lot that I look up to as my role models. Despite the fact that I’ve done few movies and I’ve made little name, I want to do follow up now. I am not desperate because it’s not a do or die affair. So I’m working on something bigger. And I believe that with the people I’m working with, it’s going to come to pass.

Have you dated anybody in the Nollywood  before?

(Long laugh) I’ve never found in the whole of Nigeria not to talk of Nollywood. No and Never.

It seems you don’t want to have anything to do with the industry?

Not that I don’t want to have anything to do with the industry but the problem is that, I tried to accommodate them in the first place but I realized the industry is full of back-bitters, rumour mongers, bad company and many more, that is why I have to separate myself a bit from the industry.

You are one of the few actresses that have been able to stay in their marriage, despite some challenges and scandals, what is your secret?

I would not say I have any secret, it’s just God. In the sense that God chooses your partner for you, if it’s not God’s wish, you will have some hiccups in it. Nobody can stop God from doing his wish in one’s life. I had some relationships that were almost getting to marriage level, in which I had my first son but it didn’t work out for me. It did not move me because that is not where God destined me to be, and at the end of the day I thank God for it. That’s what I always tell people that when one door closes and one is struggling for that door to open, that may not be where God wants you to be. It might be painful but you don’t know where God is leading you to. That was what happened in my own case, when it didn’t work out, I was still very young and God opened another door for me immediately and  I must say I’m grateful to God, because he’s been a very good bride for me. He is a white man, that is why I so much stay abroad because my family is there. Although my husband is presently in Kuwait O. So that’s where I found love.

There was a scandal between you and Oge Okoye then, how were you able to absorb that?

I wouldn’t call that a scandal, it’s not a scandal. People do have misunderstanding and that cannot be called scandal. So there is nothing scandalous in the issue between me and Oge, we’ve moved on, it’s been a long time. I’ve not seen her for a long time now, if I see her I will greet her and we will talk. Everybody has grown up. There was nothing like allegation.

You don’t use to relate so much with the Nollywood and you don’t like going out, why?

It’s just my nature, I go out whenever I like, don’t get me wrong because I like to unwind and I like partying but not to extreme. The issue is that I’m always busy and by the time I’m off, I always relax because of the tiredness. Another thing is time. Like now, I just came back last week and in a couple of weeks now I will be going back, that’s why some people said “she’s no longer in movie, she’s no longer getting roles”, to be honest with you, I’ve not even called anybody, it’s only the few that know I’m in town because I know I don’t have the time. Even if I call them now and they give me a role, where is the time. That’s why I said I’m working on something big, that I will make out time to do it. So when people say I’m not getting movie role, it sounds as if, I’m going there to queue and they were not giving me. That’s just my situation, so I will try and create time for myself to do movie now because I have a focus and I know what I want.

What informs your fashion?

I think I’ve paid my dues in Nollywood fashion, even when you need to expose your body, I do create trend for people to follow, and I do my own style. They say I don’t open my breast, I think I’ve out grown that now, so I want to do a different thing. I know I’m on the big size and whenever I come out, people will say waow!!! Even if my breast is open or not, I’m always there. So nobody can just put me wrong when it comes to fashion. What determines what I wear is the event, the place and the time.

Why do you always expose your body then?

I will say it was what was in vogue or maybe I was trying to create that, and I do wear what I’m comfortable in. If I buy the cloth and if it says that is how it fits on your body there is nothing I can do about it. But as I’m growing older now because I’m in my 40 I should be dressing 40 because then I was in my 30s. So that’s why I don’t judge people about their way of dressing, if you are comfortable being naked, it’s your problem. If you wear your cloths and you are okay with it, fine. You are not dressing for anybody since your immediate family are not complaining but by the time you are growing old, you will definitely adjust.

What is the most expensive fashion item you have?

I can’t say because I don’t have any (long laugh), I wear normal thing that people wear. I don’t have preference for designer, I wear anything even if it is “Okrika”, and so far you wear it well.

Despite the age on your side you still look good, what is the secret?

I don’t do much on that, I think it runs in my family; sometimes, looking good is from genes. Sometimes, I don’t even wear makeup just like now that you just caught me unaware. I’ve been like this since I’m back. So I’m not too cautious about make ups and cream. My sisters are like this, so it runs in my genes. Sometimes, when I’m stressed out, I use stress relieve cleansers because of my age, I use anti aging cream, anti wrinkle, whether they work or not. I don’t know but I just have to follow instructions in the shop and buy them.

What should your fans expect from you next?

They should expect cinema standard movie from my stable, I’m working on that, I’m a go-getter and I know I’m going to get it before that end of the year. If I do one movie in a year and it’s cinema standard and make sense, that can be accepted abroad.

Have you taken pirates into consideration?

I know it’s been a problem over the years, it’s for government to do something, there is nothing we the individual can do. They need to put up a law to curb it, otherwise it will still be there. It’s really destroying the industry, the government has to help us.

For the interest of those that will be reading about you for the first time, can you introduce yourself?

My name is Chioma Toplis, a Nollywood actress, I’m from a family of seven, one is late, I’m from Umuahia, Abia State, married to an English man and based in the UK but runs my business in Nigeria. The name Toplis is my husband’s name because I married at a very tender age. I still love my country. I did my GCSE in the UK, my college in the UK, I did some vocational studies in social care and English Language in the college in UK. I can work as a social career.

Last word to your fans

My last word to my fans out there is “Live and let’s live”, “Do unto others what you want others to do to you”. Once we live like that, we are okay to go, No back biting, no stabbing at the back.